


A Parting Gift

by CallmeG



Series: The Gift of Life [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Baby Fic, Buck to the rescue, Eddie Diaz has another baby, F/M, Gen, M/M, Shannon passed :(, that has to be a first, wait he's a firefighter I take that back
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:13:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29176215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallmeG/pseuds/CallmeG
Summary: With Shannon's sudden tragic, traumatic passing came another surprise. Luckily, Eddie's newfound firefam are to the rescue.Mainly Buck. Thanks Buck.
Relationships: Eddie Diaz/Shannon Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: The Gift of Life [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2198388
Comments: 9
Kudos: 153





	A Parting Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Shannon falls pregnant the first time she and Eddie reconcile when he calls her for help with Christopher’s school and when she’s killed, he’s left with Christopher and a premature baby girl, a beautiful baby girl who he can’t help but hate because all he can see is Shannon. It takes him a week to name her, and even longer to touch her. Christopher has no idea. Eddie realises he might lose the baby too.

“She’s very, very premature. We have a machine helping her lungs and a warmer trying to regulate her temperature. She hasn’t suffered any psychological or physical harm that we can detect, but only time will tell.”

Eddie stared into the NICU ward, numb with loss and hurt. He’d said goodbye to Shannon only to be told by Hen that she was pregnant. Seven months pregnant to be precise. Just into her third trimester it was a miracle the baby had survived without medical observation, not to mention the accident. In one of the NICU incubators lay a baby girl, eyes closed and a breathing tube doing the work for her lungs, and yet Eddie didn’t feel anything for her.

“Would you like to hold her for a minute or so? Skin to skin contact has proven health benefits-“

“-not at the moment.”

“Mr Diaz, I understand that you’re mourning-“

“-I didn’t even… I had no _idea_ she was pregnant until fifteen minutes ago! She showed so much with our first, but this one…”

“It’s usually the opposite,” the nurse reminded Eddie gently and he turned to her, eyes fiery with anger and distress.

“Don’t tell me about my wife’s pregnancies.”

Bobby was the first one to take up shift with the baby, watching over the tiny body in the incubator. With his suspension it made sense that he would volunteer. Both Buck and Chim had also agreed to take shifts and Hen was officially down as the next one to be there. Until Eddie was ready, they had all agreed to take time to be with the baby. It was the least they could do. Bobby picked up his phone when it buzzed, surprised it was Buck already.

_Buck: how’s she doing? Did he name her yet?_

_Bobby: she’s okay for now. Still Baby Girl Diaz until further notice_

_Buck: we should name her_

_Bobby: that has to come from Eddie and Christopher Buck. Don’t push it_

_Buck: :( she can’t be baby diaz forever_

_Bobby: I hear you. There’s nothing we can do though._

_Buck: I hate this_

_Buck: has he called you?_

_Bobby: not yet_

_Bobby: he will. Give him time to grieve_

_Buck: he also has two kids_

_Bobby: and two families who love him. He will get through this Buck._

_Buck: is typing_

_Buck:_

With Buck gone, Bobby settled back into his seat. It was scary how fast those damn chairs became uncomfortable. Time to look for the nearest newspaper and a cup of coffee. Or he could nap… a nap was good too.

The funeral date came around and Buck volunteered to sit with Baby Diaz but Christopher refused to let _his Buck_ be absent; he had a meltdown on the morning of the funeral until Buck promised to sit with him and Eddie up the front. Buck stopped Eddie right before the funeral started, blushing as he tried not to stare at the casket. He fidgeted, obviously nervous, before finally meeting his gaze.

“Look man, if you don’t want me front row I’m not- I’d totally understand, it should be you and Chris-“

“-no, man. I want you there. We both want you there. For Christopher’s sake… and for mine.”

At that moment Christopher and Eddie’s abuela approached them. Christopher went up into his father’s arms as always, a kiss pressed to his forehead and Buck brushed a strand of the Diaz curls off his forehead.

“Ready, superman?” Eddie asked and Christopher hugged him tight. Buck stepped back, surprised when he felt Clara grab his arm.

“Come on, Buck,” she said and he followed her to the front row of the funeral home. Eddie and Christopher spent a couple of minutes greeting everyone in the pews before Christopher sat on Buck’s lap and Eddie beside them. Eddie’s family sat with him, his abuela reaching for his hand. Eddie just stared dead ahead. Buck gave Christopher a squeeze in his lap as the funeral celebrant stood up to start the ceremony.

Everyone returned to Eddie’s for the Wake and it didn’t take long for Christopher to tell his dad he’d had enough. He was a tolerant kid, a kid who would put up with a lot for as long as he could without any complaints. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he would generally disappear. When he left the Wake to go to his room Eddie found him easily and closed the door behind him.

“Hey, buddy. How are you doing?”

“I had enough, dad.”

“Yeah… me too.”

Eddie sat on the end of Christopher’s bed, running a hand over his back.

“You look very smart in your suit,” he said and Christopher giggled a little as he leaned into his dad.

“I miss mom.”

Eddie sighed, kissing his son’s hair.

“Me too.”

“Thanks, Karen. Go and be with your family, I can take it from here.”

Karen glanced up, rubbing at her eyes as she picked up the book she’d fallen asleep reading. Glancing into the NICU she saw that Eddie’s daughter was safe and sound and she turned to Buck.

“I hope he appreciates what we’re doing for him,” she said. Buck shrugged.

“If we can help him and Chris even a little, then it’s worth it.”

“Yeah, yeah you’re right.”

Standing, she gave Buck’s arm a squeeze.

“How did the funeral go?”

“It was uh- it was rough. I think it’s only just started to settle for Christopher and Eddie was like a brick wall.”

“It takes time for grief to process, Buck.”

Karen headed down the hallway and Buck got the attention of a nurse passing by.

“Hey. How’s she doing?” He asked. The nurse glanced toward where he was looking, straight at Baby Diaz, and she frowned.

“She could be doing a lot better if her father showed up. Just ten minutes of skin to skin contact and she’d want to fight. Right now she’s just here for the ride. I don’t know how much longer her body will put up with that.”

“Would it- would it help if I held her? I was just- I just hugged her father and her brother.”

The nurse pursed her lips for a moment before she nodded.

“Wait here. Let me ask the doctor.”

“Careful, make sure that you support her head.”

Buck’s hand moved to support the tiny baby’s head as she was placed in his arms, limp and covered in wires. Buck could see what the nurse had meant when she’d said the baby was just along for the ride; she was only tolerating the wires and the tubes and all the medications to help her. Her eyes opened and Buck saw they were the same colour as Eddie’s already; a deep brown and she had Shannon’s nose. She took him in, had a good look, and then they closed again. Buck sighed, holding her close.

“She’s beautiful,” he whispered and the nurse agreed.

“She’s going to be stunning when she’s older. Her father will have his hands full, holding off all the boys.”

“No, her brother will take care of that. Trust me, there’s no one Christopher will love more than his baby sister.”

“Mr Buckley, you should know, so you can tell Mr Diaz… social services will be called tomorrow morning. If Mr Diaz does not come to see her, we will have no choice but to surrender her to the state.”

Buck froze.

“Wait, what? What about the- the trauma time, I don’t-“

“-it’s up, Mr Buckley, and you know that. I’m sorry.”

The nurse stepped away, going over to her station to complete paperwork, and Buck sniffed back tears.

“It’s okay little one, I’ll get your dad here. Eddie Diaz is a good guy, he wouldn’t abandon you. He loves kids, and deep down he loves you. I’ll drag him down here if I have to.”

“Eddie, get up.”

Poking his head out of his blanket cocoon, Eddie glared at Buck.

“What do you want? What time is it?”

“Early. C’mon, we got shit to do.”

“Since when?”

“Since CPS is coming to collect your daughter at 9am if you don’t get your ass into gear.”

“And what, you want me to say goodbye?”

“I want you to get up, first. Christopher is having breakfast.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow.

“Since when did you make breakfast?”

“Cereal counts. Now fucking get up.”

Buck tossed Eddie’s blankets to the floor, dropping to his knees to poke his cheek.

“Do you really want to never see her again? Your last connection to Shannon other than Christopher, and you want to let her go?”

Eddie was quiet for a minute, staring at the floor, before he looked to Buck with a single tear falling.

“It still hurts.”

“Here. I went down there yesterday, and the nurse took some pictures. She- she looks just like you. She has Shannon’s nose, but she’s a spitting image of you.”

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Buck went to show Eddie the pictures but Eddie stopped him.

“I don’t know what to name her,” he whispered. Buck hummed.

“What did Shannon want to call Christopher if he was a girl?”

“She- she thought Christopher was a girl for the longest time. Every time I called home, she… all she would talk about was how _she_ kicked. Then he was born, and we were so swept up in the medical problems… it took us two hours before we realised he was a boy. All we could think about was if he was going to survive the next hour, let alone the next year.”

“He turned out pretty good, Eddie. C’mon, come and meet her.”

“Did you tell Christopher?”

“I figured that was your job,” Buck said softly and Eddie smiled.

“Thanks Buck.”

Standing in the hospital entrance, Buck turned to Eddie who knelt in front of Christopher.

“Hey, buddy, there’s something I need to tell you, and you have to promise that you’ll be honest with me, okay?”

“Okay,” Christopher agreed. Eddie sucked in a breath, taking hold of Christopher’s arms since his hands were holding his crutches.

“So, when your mother… you know… she left us something. You and me both.”

“What did she leave?” Christopher asked, confusion on his face and Eddie hesitated.

“She, uh… she left you a little sister, and me another kid to chase after. How do you feel about being a big brother?”

Silence. It was clear Christopher was trying to process what Eddie had just said. Then his face lit up and he smiled.

“Can I see her? Please dad?”

“Yeah buddy, if you want.”

Eddie looked up to Buck, who just grinned at him. Eddie got back up and gestured to Buck.

“Lead the way.”

To Buck’s surprise it was Maddie who was sitting in front of the NICU window. She was reading something on her phone but the second she saw Buck and Eddie she stood.

“I just talked to the nurse. Her vitals are stable and CPS will be here in about an hour.”

“Where is she?” Eddie questioned, trying to see the name tag through the window. Buck pointed at one of the incubators in the middle of the room, a nurse taking stats nearby and talking to the doctor.

“Eddie, wait-“

Maddie reached out to grab Eddie before he could do something stupid but he brushed her and Buck off, rushing into the NICU.

“My name’s Eddie Diaz, I’m here to see my daughter.”

The next few days were a rush of painting and decorating the nursery before baby Diaz could come home; Christopher had picked out a pastel lilac for the room with Buck and they’d spent an afternoon painting the last bedroom in Eddie’s house. Bobby and Hen had stopped by to help put together furniture the community had donated after hearing about the loss of a well-loved firefighter’s wife so now they had a white bassinet, a white changing table, and plenty of diapers and wipes. It was Chim who had donated the finishing touch; a framed picture of the entire fire family. It had been hung on the wall along with stars and moons that would light up in the dark. By the time everything was done, it was time for the baby to come home. Christopher was bouncing off the walls, hanging off Buck’s hands on the front porch step. The pair watched as Eddie’s truck turned down the street and Christopher called out excitedly, waving frantically as his dad pulled in the drive. Bobby and Athena appeared from inside, soon bringing with them Chim, Hen and their families. Eddie pulled up and got out of the truck, jogging around to get the baby out of her carrier. Buck could see her tiny head and everyone shut up in attempt to not spook her. Eddie smiled, turning so everyone could see her.

“Welcome home, baby Diaz,” Athena greeted, pushing out of the group to give Eddie a big hug.

“Actually, she has a name now.”

Glancing down at his daughter, and then at Christopher, Eddie grinned.

“Meet Eloise. Eloise Diaz, Eli for short.”

“Oh thank god.”

Athena exhaled and everyone but Eddie turned to her.

“You knew?!” Bobby demanded and Eddie laughed.

“How could you not know? I ordered the letters for her name to be put up in her room.”

“Oh god, we Buck’d,” Hen groaned and Chim facepalmed while Buck furrowed his brows.

“You _Buck’d_? Well, now I’m confused and offended.”

“Can I hold her dad?” Christopher asked and Eddie nodded.

“How about we go inside so we can sit down and you can hold her?”

Inside, Buck pulled Christopher on to his lap and Eddie knelt down with Eloise, extending his arms out to his son.

“Careful, remember how I said we had to hold her head and back? Perfect, that’s it.”

“Hi Eloise, remember… do you remember me? I’m your big brother, and that’s our dad.”

Christopher was careful with the tiny baby, gently supporting her body and Eddie smiled, turning his head to see Athena, Bobby, Hen and Chim standing in the entryway.

“Well, I suppose she better get acquainted with her new family, huh?”

“Gimme!” Athena exclaimed, rushing over to take the little baby. Eloise didn’t stir from her doze, sound asleep as she was very quietly passed around. Finally she got back to her father, who glanced at the clock.

“It’s time for her bottle and a real nap. Do you guys mind, uh-“

“-not at all. If you or Eloise or Christopher need anything, Eddie, don’t be afraid to let us know.”

Bobby squeezed Eddie’s shoulder, leading the team out except for Buck who still had Christopher in his lap.

“I cannot believe you have another kid. Dude, you gotta stop getting laid,” Buck joked to Eddie, who glared at him.

“Good thing I’m not seeing her anymore.”

“Oh, Eddie, I didn’t-“

“-it’s okay. Two kids is plenty for me.”

“But what about the _sex_?!” Buck cried out and Eddie burst out laughing.

“Thanks for being so concerned about my sex life, man.”

“No, seriously; sex is great, it’s also a really good stress reliever. We don’t want you dying of a heart attack before you turn 30.”

“I think I’ll be okay.”

Eddie was highly amused, putting the last of the towels into the cupboard while Buck tidied the kitchen. Both kids were asleep, Eloise in her bassinet in Eddie’s room and Chris in his room, so the adults were having a beer and working on cleaning up the house. Buck was staying another night just in case Eddie had a moment during the dark hours. Eloise wasn’t sleeping through the night just yet so it made sense that Buck stayed to make sure everything was okay. Hopping up on to the cleaned counter, Buck put down his beer.

“I’m glad you didn’t let Eloise go,” he said softly. Eddie hummed, bent down to look for something in his linen cupboard.

“She’s going to take a lot of work, but I love her just as much as I love Christopher. No disappearing act this time though.”

Buck rolled his eyes.

“I won’t let you disappear, man. Me and Chris won’t stand for that. I know why you did it last time, but…”

“Yeah. I know.”

Eddie ran a hand through his hair, turning to Buck and holding out a hand.

“We should get some sleep before Eloise wakes up.”

“Good idea.”

**Author's Note:**

> I now really want to make this a separate series of shots of Eloise growing up with her father, brother, and the firefam.  
> I feel like Buddie was implied.  
> That was only partially an accident.  
> Don't be afraid to drop a comment! Or come hang with me on my tumblr; crinkled-emotions  
> Hopefully I'll see you there.


End file.
